Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1887-07-20
NINETEEN KILLED
Further Particulars OF the Railroad
Disaster at ST. Thomas,
Ontario.

Ontario.
CT. THOMAS, Ontario, 16.-A terrible ac-
cident occurred at the crossing of the
Grand Trunk and Michigan Central rail
roads in this city about 7 o'clock last even
ing. An excursion train on the Grand
Trunk from Port Stanley, ran into a pas
senger-freight on the Michigan Central,
mace up of a number of cars laden with
oil. The oil instantly took fire and burn
ed with great fiercenes, and although hun
dreds of brave and willing hands were
Immediately at hand to assist in their res
cue. It is feared a number of lives were
lost and that the bodies will be burned be-
yond reorganization before they can be
gotten out of the wreck.
AN EXPLOSION.
At 8 o'clock, when 1000 people were
crowded around the burning pile, n of
the oil tanks on the cars suddenly explod-
ed, throwing hundreds of people to the
ground with a great force and scattering
them in all directions, severely, and per-
haps fatally injuring many.
CARS n BURNED.
Cars on both trains and extending to
Grifin's warehouse and coal aud lime
sheds adjoining the track on the west, and
John Campbell's dwelling OF the east
were all burned to the ground with
their contents. Engineer Donnelly of the
excursion train was burned in the wreck.
His fireman jumped and escaped with
slight injuries. The forward car of the
excursion train was filled with passengers
who made frantic efforts to escape.
BODIES BURNED.
At $50 p. III. nine bodies were taken
out. They were burned to a crisp. 1t is
impossible to ascertain with any degree
of certainty the names of those lost in the
wreck until the arrival of the train from
Port Stanley. There are many conflicting
rumors, but it is certain that P. II. Don
nelly, Mr.. Zealand clerk in Nicklebor-
oughs' dry goods store, and child, and the
wife and child of James Smithers, a dry
goods merchant, were burned to death. A
son of Mr.. Patty, a master mechanic of
the Michigan Central railroad was burned
in the wreck. Scores of other persons,
were taken to their homes before
their names could be learned.
Gangs of men under the direction of
Superintendent Morford and Assistant
Superintendent Morehead of the Michi-
gan Central railroad and J. Stewart, agent
of the Grand Trunk railroad are hard at
work removing the debris, and it is *
pected that the track will be cleared by
daylight. All telegraph wires were des.
troyed and several poles burned, thus in
terrupting communication.
ST. THOMAS, Ont, July 1.-THE num-
Der killed in the railroad disaster yester-
day was 10 and the injured about 40. At
ter the collision occurred the passengers
commenced emerging fromithe car win
dows, every available means of egress be-
ing taken advantage of. A majority of
the passengers in the cars near the engine
have been gotten out. Engineer Donnelly
was found in the cab with his hand on
the lever, as if endeavoIing to made the
air brakes work.
To add to the confusion and horror of the
itlldit3 q SCItion " uC idAu lAto h4AiSA
the engineer of the passenger train plung-
ed consisted of some cars containing tanks
of crude oil and a car loaded with barrels
of refined oil, and almost before the pass
engers heard the crash of the collision, it
was followed by a terrible explosion,
which could be heard for miles. A pyra-
mid of red fire AMI black smoke lowered
up in the air, and in a moment sheets of
fG-o r.,ctnH ont and arrntnr,o1 the 10 PC
dwellings and warehouses in the vicinity.
The oil was scattered around in all direc-
tons, setting fire to Griffin's coal and salt
warehouses, j. E. Campbell's dwelling
and watch-house and other structures in
the vicinity, destroying all these and caus-
ing a loss of about $4,000. 3